Heroes of the Realms

Forgotten Realms is a high fantasy campaign setting. Most of the campaign will be in the Sword Coast region, while some trips to other faraway lands of Faerun or planes are possible, they aren't going to be the main focus of this campaign.

It's the year 1489 DR.

Recent history worth mentioning or at least might influence your backstory (depending on your race). Older history is usually only of interest to sages and scholars, the average person in the realm doesn't know most of the world history or care to know.

-1385 The Spellplague, Mystra the goddess of Magic was murdered by the recently ascended Cyric to godhood with assistance from Shar. Many spellcasters went mad during that time. Magic went crazy and the world was changed quite literally.
-1482 - 1488, The Second Sundering, Happening after the return of Bhaal from Baldur Gate and taking back his title as God of Murder from Cyric. The following years are full of calamities and various catastrophe all over the world. Many wars happened during that time, with a lot of the chosen of the Gods, being at the center of these conflicts.
-1489, Most of the major conflicts and wars are over now. The gods stopped having a direct intervention with their chosen taking a quieter position and being subtle. Some new conflicts arose and new threats but at least, it was without the gods' intervention. It's a new world out there, full of opportunities and chances for anybody to make a name for themselves.

Our Campaign begins in Daggerford, a small walled town and also a pastoral haven with many caravans passing through. The caravans are often headed north toward Waterdeep or south to Baldur's Gate. Warriors and adventurers looking to make some coins can find easy work with helping these caravans. A tribe of Lizardfolk has been attacking Daggerford recently, the call for adventurers and mercenaries willing to deal with the situation has caught your attention.

Gods of the Realms: Too many to list. If you are looking for a particular deity, just ask.

Firearms:
Smokepowder, the equivalent of Black Powder in the realms, is illegal in most places or require to get past red tape for a small restricted use of it. And the few places that have some Smokepowder only have small quantities of them. Due to the rarity of the substance and how hard it is to obtain it, Forgotten Realms use the Very Rare Guns option. Gunslinger and archetypes using firearms, advanced firearms, the amateur gunslinger feat, don't exist and only npcs can take the gunsmithing feat. Early firearms exist but they are rare.

Campaign Traits: (those are optional)

City Watch: You have served one of the famous city watches of the Sword Coast. Maybe you were part of the watch in Waterdeep, A member of the Silverwatch or even be magic wielding Spellguard. Maybe you aren't even from a city, could be a constable for a village or small town. You get a +1 trait bonus to perception. You start with a uniform of the city watch you served under. Guards are more likely to have a better disposition toward you. Criminals on the other end start with a worst disposition.

Clan Crafter: The Stout folk are known as great artisan all over the world. You are most likely a dwarf but you don't have to be. You spent a good amount of years learning under a dwarf master the art of the crafts. You get dwarven as a bonus language if you don't have it already. You have earned the respect of the Stout Folk and gain +1 trait bonus to a craft of your choice. You start with a set of artisan tool and the symbol of the clan master.

Cloistered Scholar: You managed to find your way into one of the best libraries or institute of learning in Faerun. It could the great library of Candlekeep or perhaps the Vault of sages or even the Map House. Either way, while many people have to go through many interviews or a long application process, you can gain access to your library without difficulty facilitating researches. You most likely will get preferential treatment to other libraries of the realms from fellow scholars.

Faction Agent: You worked closely with one of the factions of Faerun. Becoming an adventurer doesn't stop you from being part of the Faction but it does mean that you have some responsibility and missions as part of your faction. The Harpers, The Order of the Gauntlet, The Emerald Enclave, The Lords' Dalliance, and The Zhentarim are good examples of factions in the Sword Coast. You start affiliated with a Faction, factions have various benefits and options unique to them.

Far Traveler: Maybe you are an exile, an emissary, a fugitive or just a wanderer, either way you come from a land far away from the Sword Coast. Examples could include Evermeet, the mythical island of the Elves, Halruaa the strange land with their Skyships, Kara-Tur, a land with customs foreign to most people of the realms, Mulhorand, Sossal, Zakhara or even the Underdark. Anyway being from so far way, does have its advantage, as nobles, merchant princes and others would be interested in hearing about your travels. You get a +1 trait bonus to Diplomacy checks and have easier access to Nobles and Merchants interested in your stories.

Inheritor: You have a legacy, an inheritance, you might have gotten it from your family, a mentor, a friend or birthright just to cite a few options. It might even be the reason you are gone on an adventure. Choose an option among:
A document could be a map or a journal, a letter, a trinket, an article of clothing, a piece of jewelry, an arcane book or other similar tomes, a written story or poem, song or secret, Tattoos and other body marking are also a possibility. You are on a quest to discover what your inheritance means or is capable of.

Waterdhavian Noble: You are a scion of one of the Great noble human families of Waterdeep, the city of Splendors. Most scions are often seen as eccentric, spoiled, venal and of course rich. Whether you are a stereotype or not is up to you, your reasons for adventuring are most likely related to your family. Consult with me for more details about your lineage. You start with a Noble outfit, a signet ring or brooch, a scroll of pedigree a waterskin of fine zzar (wine available in Waterdeep), as a scion you are considered to be living a Wealthy lifestyle(while your parents might have an extravagant lifestyle, you are not the head of the family yet.) Your signet ring and names are often sufficient to cover small expenses at inns, taverns, etc...as they are more than willing to send the debt to your family.

Im interested. I usually like scoundrel types best but I am willing to play any role. CG Rogue, Ranger, or Barbarian is what I'm thinking. Maybe even multiclass. Do I just post my character concept here or send it to you? It has been some time since I've done any gaming online.

What are the sources allowed? You mention dreamscarred press and their psionics specifically. Is that it for 3rd party materials, or are you open to more such as other dreamscarred press products or the drop dead studios/spheres materials which are also popular as 3rd party materials go?

I have a lot of 3rd party materials and I do like a lot of them but if you want a guaranteed approved list here what I don't have an issue with: (With Errata when available)

-Deep Magic by Kobold Press (if you do use some deep magic, just ask, will try to mix it with the lore of the setting.)
-Dreamscarred Press Psionics, Akashic Mysteries, Path of war supplements
-Drop Dead Studios, Spheres system but as a fair warning, regular spellcasters are around, so full spellcasters are still pretty strong.
-Hybrid Blood by Silver Games LLC (FR tends to have so many wizards and the likes doing experiments that sure, a wizard experiment hybrid of some creature wouldn't be too out of place)
-Ultimate Covenant Magic by Purple Duck Games and all their kineticist supplements
-Legendary Games has released a lot of supplements for classes, including their own hybrid classes, those are fine to use.

As mentioned in the thread on the forum, Haela Brightaxe is not dead anymore. She came back to life during the Second Sundering but so did her Duergar enemies, it was only 3 years ago, so it is very recent.